


Home in Hogwarts

by julesherondalex



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: ACOTAR AU Week, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Hogwarts Seventh Year, Romantic Fluff, acotar au week day 5, day 5 hogwarts au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:46:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21771673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julesherondalex/pseuds/julesherondalex
Summary: Sweet pining, love notes and Hogwarts.Let’s unite, Potterheads.
Relationships: Elain Archeron/Azriel
Comments: 2
Kudos: 43
Collections: ACOTAR AU Week, ACOTAR AU Week Day 5





	Home in Hogwarts

Azriel was lying on his bed, reading a book, with Elain freaking Archeron.

Yep, she was here, right next to him on the bed – book in hand and honey curls framing her beautiful face as her eyes tracked the pages. He’d rather be staring at her than at the words along the pages of his novel which was a goddamn miracle itself, almost as unbelieving as the fact that she just came over to his dorm room with a book in her hand, claiming she wanted some peace apart from all the game drama.

He had been suspicious in an instant because Elain Archeron didn’t just come to his room and spent her evening with him.

Surely her sisters must have schemed a plan to distract him in order to win the Hunt. He was surprised Elain would actually play along since she usually deemed their little game too dangerous and mean and _what if one of the professors found out?_

Honestly? He thought that game his brothers played with the two other Archeron sisters, more viciously tempered than Elain with a nasty streak for trouble-seeking, were childish at best. He didn’t quite utter enough interest to be involved into the grand schemes either. But Azriel still felt the moral obligation to help his brothers which they greatly exploited most of the time.

If Elain had gone along before, it was usually to distract or deliver confusing messages to the Illyrian brothers. Basic, less troubling tasks. He still wasn’t sure whether _this_ – her visiting him, alone – was supposed to be an attempt at diverting his attention or if she was just tired of being used for the evil strategies of a Slytherin and a Gryffindor and sought him out because she thought to find a kindred spirit in him, truly wanting to spend quality time with Az.

In the former case, she might be succeeding just fine. If the latter was what was going on here, well, then he was fucking ecstatic.

Even if Elain did try to distract him for whatever coup her sisters planned on his brothers outside of this dorm room, they were in for a surprise. Because this time, Azriel had a key role within the so-called Halloween Hunt. And they were winning with him staying right here in his dorm room.

The game was easy: Archerons against the Illyrians. Three sisters bound by blood against three brothers bound by fate were racing against each other _and_ time to find one magical object of their choosing – which was hidden somewhere in Hogwarts by Amren, a particularly diabolical Slytherin, and Mor, the Golden Gryffindor as her housemates liked to call her.

Allowed were any traps, hexing and jinxing, song long they didn’t cross ‘the line’ which basically meant there was none. Snitching resulted in instant disqualification and probably some harassing. By the time the hour struck midnight on Halloween one of the teams _must_ have the object within their hands or the item would alert the entire school of its presence.

Azriel still remembered Amren’s cackle as she came up with the last rule that had forced the teams to work together on more occasions than one to prevent getting busted and kicked out of school. Whatever happened at midnight with none of them touching the object, he had never taken that rule lightly. It was a threat to their entire school careers – apparently much like Amren who he always deemed necessary to keep an eye on.

The reason why he had gotten a key role to his brothers’ plans other than the fear of getting thrown out of school? Because it was their senior year here in Hogwarts, and he knew this time Halloween Hunt was going to be epic of some sorts. He didn’t want to be the one missing out on all the fun. He wanted to be a part of the big thing.

He had set magical traps, false leads and helped his brothers solving Amren and Mor’s riddles in finding the object – a miniature version of the goblet of fire was this year’s golden snitch – all the while keeping on the low. He was pretty sure none of the Archerons realized his involvement to such an extent.

Az was more than a little smug to say his brothers owed the early victory to his involvement and he was proud of his House because a Ravenclaw in a game with riddles always proved an advantage. Which was why the goblet of fire was currently hidden in his dorm room, four hours prior to the last Hunt’s ending. While his brothers were out there distracting the Archerons and keeping up the pretense of still searching, Azriel was the goblets’ keeper. As much as he tried to dismiss it, it still kind of felt like an honor he was allowed to finish their last Halloween Hunt as the ultimate winner.

Elain Archeron coming to him tonight was the cherry on top. She couldn’t have known about the goblet and he doubted she cared about it anyway. And it so happened to be that she was the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts, at least if Az was concerned, and he had been crushing on her for ages.

Tonight was special for more reasons than one. He sort of felt the … sparks flying between them, even as they just read together. There were little words spoken yet the way she kept watching him, blushing and all, told him that tonight something might happen. His nerves stood on high alert though he ought to play it cool.

“You’re staring.”

She startled and quickly averted her gaze from him, mumbling, “Sorry.”

Her blush spread even further. She was so pretty it hurt. He wasn’t the most outgoing person but, in her presence, a different kind of shyness treaded into his demeanor. He had trouble holding her eyes for more than a few seconds.

It worsened when she huffed and moved on the sheets, her shoulder softly grazing his arm as they laid side by side on his bed and read. By now he merely pretended to read – occasionally turning the page for good measure – while Elain seemed to be stuck to the same page for the last five minutes. He wondered what was on her mind. Was she nervous to be here with him?

After all this time being friends – the silent and soft, reassuring kind of friendship – was tonight going to change the quiet pining into something more? Azriel sure hoped so. He had determined to ask her out this year, his last chance until they all spread into the world with different purposes. He wanted both their purposes to align. He wanted them to spread together.

Elain closed the book with a thud and brought it beneath her arms, folding them under her cheek. She proceeded to stare at his profile which made his heart rate pick up tremendously. 

“I can’t focus,” she simply stated.

He shot her a quick side-glance before returning to his book. “Why?”

She shrugged and they fell silent.

All her staring didn’t stop though, and it made him incredibly self-conscious. She’d never watched him like this. Whatever was going to happen, he dreaded it as much as he couldn’t await it.

It took all his composure not to jump in surprise when she suddenly poked his cheek, her own giving away a dimple as she smiled widely when she registered his shock.

Elain was still grinning when she said, “You’re so interesting to stare at.”

It sent his heart right into frenzy mode. Interesting to stare at? Was that a good thing? Being interesting was good, right? Was she _flirting_ with him?

Her bubbling laughter distracted him enough that he returned her gaze. There was a hitch in her voice, a certain high pitch to it which spoke of her own nervosity. Some of the uneasiness lifted off his shoulders.

“You’re so cute when you scrunch up your brows like that. Confusion is a rare expression to your face. Did you know that you tend to hide your emotions?” She smiled and touched his face again, drawing a line between his furrowed brows down to the tip of his nose. Her finger lingered there for a second, just like her gaze, and she gulped.

There was definitely chemistry. Merlin’s. Fucking _._ Beard.

He turned and caught her eyes with his. Sometimes they were bright honey, golden when the sun shone from the right angle. Right now, they were caramel in the dim light of his room, and they spoke to his heart. He had never witnessed eyes this expressive. He loved to read them, to gauge her reaction to the simplest things, like affirmative feedback from their professors when she gave a correct answer – they attended their History of Magic, Charms and elective Muggle Studies class together – or a shared joke between their friends.

Although they had never looked quite like they did now, at him, with something akin to awe and fondness as she let her eyes wander over his features. He didn’t shut off this time, didn’t turn away from her curiosity. Actually, he didn’t dare move.

“You should keep showing more of yourself to the world. Look how handsome you are tonight,” she murmured with her fingers still dancing on his face and a contemplative expression. Her eyes were so honest, he wanted to dive in and live where she beheld him affectionately.

She seemed to shake herself out of that trance-like stupor, realizing her hands were on him. Her lids fluttering, she looked up and met his eyes like she was surprised to find them as honest as her own. This was it. He would ask her out right here, right now –

“Kiss me?” Elain blurted, voice rising toward the end.

Azriel’s world stopped as he stared at her in shock, wondering if he had heard correctly.

“Err … come again?”

Her cheeks flamed red, her eyes wide like a doe caught in headlights.

“I said,” she wetted her lips, swallowing. “Kiss me? I mean, if you want to? I … Merlin, I’m sorry, this was a bad idea. I should just …”

She made to lift off the bed, flustered and ready to flee. His hand immediately shot out and got ahold of her arm.

“Wait,” he urged, sitting up. “I … you surprised me, that’s all. I would like to, uh, kiss you.”

She looked up, astonishment lining her features. She didn’t expect him to follow through with her request? Why else would she …

His trail of thoughts diminished as she slid closer, the space between them shrinking and her faint rose scent reaching his nose. “Yeah?” she asked, and her eyes lit up.

Az scratched his neck, the other hand still touching her arm. “Um, yeah.”

Before he could think, she had brought her face to the level of his. He’d never seen anyone’s orbs from up close like that. Kissing usually brought the closing of eyes but he couldn’t tear his from her own. They were excited ones, full of light and mischief and a little apprehension too.

He could feel himself begin to smile as he leaned in, eyes shutting now, and gave into the pull that was Elain Archeron.

Azriel should have noticed it, of course, when she moved her arm but never put it around his neck. He should have recognized the words she uttered as their lips touched for the tiniest second weren’t sweet nothings but a spell. A curse. He should have known that Elain demanding to be kissed by Azriel couldn’t be anything but a joke.

“Petrificus Totalus.”

His entire body locked up, arms gluing to his sides and legs forcing together. Az fell backwards onto the sheets like frozen stone.

He couldn’t move anything but his eyes, and they darted around frantically as he tried to make sense of what happened, his thoughts running wild.

Elain had cursed him with a full body bind … but why? For Merlin’s sake – _shit_. _Shit, shit, shit!_

He cursed himself for being the most foolish fool to exist – to have believed Elain Archeron would voluntarily visit him on the night of Halloween Hunt when all their friends were out hunting. Who the hell did he think he was?

A damned idiot. A damned idiot who had been cursed into immobility by his ultimate crush. Embarrassment – no, plain _horror_ crept up his motionless neck when the truth fully dawned on him.

“Dumbledore’s pants, it worked!” Elain’s voice reached him, her face coming into view as she leaned over him with her wand in her hand.

Her excitement of having succeeded in cursing him quickly turned into the downturn of her lips followed by her furrowed brows – guilt replaced whatever sense of accomplishment she’d felt.

“Oh, Azriel…” she mumbled and reached to touch his stony cheek with the tips of her fingers.

Try though he might, Az couldn’t turn his face away from her. He was pretty sure the shock he felt after her betrayal was etched into his features but at least his lips weren’t pursed into a kissy mouth or he would have been ready to die here, frozen for the next hour or so. He averted his eyes because it was the only thing he could do.

Merlin, he was such a dorcus. So, so stupid and naïve to have believed …

“I’m so sorry, Az,” Elain broke the trail of his self-loathing. “I had to do this; I had to prove them I could get it back. The goblet.”

Even though Az had figured out her motives by now, the confrontation still stung. They must have figured out about Azriel’s possession of the goblet and sent her – _Elain_ of all people.

Had they all known about his silly crush? Because she was the only one who could have possibly distracted him in order to get the goblet. Now that he thought about her behavior, he recognized the signs: her nervosity, the high pitch of her voice, her blatant flirting… She had seemed surprised to notice how well he reacted to the latter. Maybe _she_ hadn’t been aware of his feelings. Now she must know.

Just in case Merlin listened, Azriel uttered a quick mental prayer for the ground to open and swallow him whole.

The only remaining hope – in case Merlin didn’t listen – was his hideout, his carefully chosen concealment for the goblet. If she stole it right from under his grasp and his brothers found out how she’d tricked him, they would never stop taunting him with the most embarrassing moment of his life.

Az had truly thought she … liked him. Not only had he been stupid enough to believe she was flirting with him, but he had so obviously underestimated Elain. He’d immediately ditched the possibility of her playing a key role during this year’s Hunt. It had never even crossed his mind, no matter this night being all about the Hunt. Shame added to the seething mess of his emotions.

In the meantime, Elain, the secret ace in the Archeron sisters’ sleeve, was searching his dorm room. At least that’s what he assumed since he couldn’t even _move a fucking pinkie_.

As much as he struggled against the binding, nothing worked; she’d done her job well. She’d uttered the curse almost silently – and succeeded within the first try. If he wasn’t embarrassed to the bone, he would have been impressed with her. As things stood, he could only lay there, metaphorically swimming in his self-hatred.

Then she began talking to him as she scouted the room. He heard her silent footsteps on the wooden floor tiles. If only his dormmates hadn’t gone out to Hogsmeade tonight.

“You know, Azriel, I never thought this game was worth the potential threat of being thrown out of school. Hogwarts is everything to me and I have no parents to return to. I never wanted to be a part of the game in fear we’d lose the only home we ever had but … this year, it’s different. We’re seniors.”

Her voice came muffled from under the bed as she continued searching.

“I will miss Hogwarts so much and I don’t want to leave without having lived a little. We’ll get to be adults all our lives, so why not stay young and reckless as long as we can?

“I want to feel like they did, you know? Half a decade ago, when Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley left this school they’d done it all. They lived and breathed Hogwarts, going on every adventure that came their way. They knew so many secrets of this place. How can I call Hogwarts my home if I don’t know some of them either? If I don’t have fun memories to look back to? I don’t want anyone to think a Hufflepuff doesn’t have the guts to go on adventures.”

She stood to her feet and leaned over him, meeting his eyes – and damn him if he didn’t end up admiring the determination and bravery housing there, no matter his compromised position and her being the one to blame.

Her expression turned softer as she held his eyes. “You were the last person I wanted to hurt though.” Her brows drew together. “But this is a game, right? You surely expected a coup? And I promised my sisters I’d get the goblet. So, where could you have hidden it?”

She watched him, contemplating. “You’re clever so it wouldn’t be any ordinary place.” Her eyes wandered around the room and caught onto his pile of books. “You love your books, don’t you?” Elain was already off, searching through the pages, shaking out his beloved novels and nonfiction. He would have scoffed at the simplicity of it if he had been able to move a single cell.

“Too easy,” Elain mumbled when she came up empty.

She remained silent for a few seconds, coming into view again. Horror rose in his chest as he beheld that look in her eyes, and he knew – he just knew – she would find the hidden treasure. He wasn’t the only one who was good reading people. Azriel suddenly felt naked lying there like stone, watching as she figured _him_ out.

“If I were you,” she muttered, eyes scanning the room, the brick walls, moving to his nightstand. _Merlin, please let her curse dissolve this instant_.

He tried to move, probingly, and remained stone.

“I would hide the goblet somewhere no one ever might look. A place unremarkable enough that no one would ever second guess it being irrelevant.”

Her eyes lit up as they stayed focused on his nightstand – on the new addition of a bedside lamp. Plain, old and unimpressive. And of incredible worth.

Elain disappeared from his limited sight; he could only picture the girl reaching for his lamp.

Az used his entire willpower to cast off the curse. Harry Potter had once fended off an Unforgivable Curse and Az was just as stubborn as Potter, he could shake off a simple body-binding spell, right?

He thrust and struck against it but he couldn’t even feel his body. The Imperius was a dark curse controlling the mind and depended on the qualities of the caster. Petrificus controlled his body – his mind was completely free, and currently panicking.

“If I were you, I would hide it in plain view – and cast it with a transfigurative spell.” She mumbled something under her breath and promptly let out an excited squeal.

Az was doomed. He was _so_ doomed.

Elain came back running with the miniature goblet of fire between her fingers, looking down at him as those honey curls framed her face.

“Az, that was so clever! Feyre and Nesta never would have found it!”

His cursed presence seemed to dim her happiness again. She stepped closer, kneeling next to him on the floor. “I wish we could have played in the same team,” she admitted, disappointed. Even after all that had happened, his heart rate sped up in her presence, for the way she looked at him now – with regret in her eyes.

She closed the distance even further, bringing her face close to his. Her eyes dropped to his lips.

“I really am sorry,” she said softly, and leaned in. Azriel’s heart palpitated inside his chest as it looked like she would kiss him. Elain hesitated within the last second and pecked his cheek instead. Then she was off.

When the curse finally lost its grip, Azriel stood on wobbly knees. His eyes darted to the nightstand but sure enough the goblet was gone. They still had a good hour and a half left to regain the goblet, but he was too embarrassed and disappointed to go anywhere, much less keep participating in the Halloween Hunt. He didn’t inform his brothers either. He let the Archerons win, let Elain have the honor of being victorious. A play like that deserved nothing less.

…

“Hey, Azriel.”

Elain’s voice hit him like the gnarled limbs of the Whomping Willow, and he froze to the spot, stiffening. Maybe if he acted like he hadn’t heard, she’d go away.

She didn’t.

“Azriel, I’m sorry.”

He still didn’t turn her way. If he did, she would be facing his beet-red face. He would probably abstain from looking at her for the rest of his life. He was _that_ embarrassed.

“I’m so, so sorry. Azriel, let me make it up to you.”

If there was any way she could provide him with Hermione Granger’s time turner, well, that would be awesome.

Elain sighed when he kept ignoring her and fell silent. After a few minutes he deemed it safe to turn, only to flinch at her still remaining presence. Could he be any more embarrassing? Holy Merlin.

His Ravenclaw mates began to turn and eye them curiously as Elain kept standing by their long dinner table during the Halloween dinner. The goblet he’d just grabbed to drink from seemed to laugh at him as he was painfully reminded of last night.

Elain reached into the pocket of her robe, placing a square of folded white parchment before him. “I just … I had fun last night. Before I … well. I’m sorry I hurt you. I hope we can still be friends.”

Azriel didn’t dare pick up her note for the entirety of dinner. He even considered to leave it right there and keep on ignoring her. She couldn’t force him to acknowledge her apology.

Even as the thought struck, he knew he wouldn’t be able to keep from reading what she had to say. He was curious by a Ravenclaw’s nature, and also … well, still in love with her.

 _I’m sorry, Azriel_ , he began to read in the privacy of his dorm room after everyone had gone to sleep.

_Even though we won, and the game allowed us to trick each other, I still feel terrible about it. I shouldn’t have made you kiss me. I wish I could turn back time and try to get the goblet another way. I guess I never thought I could get away with it. I guess I imagined making you kiss me was beyond the possible. I’m sorry you thought … I’m sorry. Although it felt good to have won something, to be the one to succeed for once, I would take it back immediately._

_I don’t want to be the Hufflepuff who hurt her dear friend._

_Forgive me,_

_Elain_

Az cringed for the entire note but for that last part. He had never considered he might be her ‘dear’ friend. The term warmed something inside him.

But – he adjusted himself quickly – this letter still changed nothing, not the horrifying memory that was etched into his brain. He couldn’t forget how the trick felt like a slap to the face while he got his hopes up like some foolish teen.

Elain tried to talk to him again, the next day. Azriel had hoped if he came in last minute to their shared class and leave as soon as they were dismissed, she wouldn’t be able to talk to him. But Elain was an Archeron after all and those always found a way. Since he was still too embarrassed to talk to her, he ignored the girl. She left for her seat after Professor Flitwick spoke a reprimand. He guessed there was a first time for everything, though it still surprised him she would risk being criticized by a professor for him.

He almost turned to smile at her until that near-kiss resurfaced in his memories. He had been so sure of her honesty, the tenderness in her eyes then.

Az remained stoic.

Apparently, Elain’s enthusiasm was an unending source and an issue of stubbornness because even as he kept ignoring her, she found a way to make him listen to her words, or rather read them.

She began writing notes to him, using a spell to fold them into various animal forms and flying them to reach his person.

One moment he was sitting in his Muggle Studies class, minding his own business, and the next a cute bunny scampered through the air and landed on his desk.

A quick glance let him know Elain was watching him from across the room, eager for him to read her note with a cheeky smile alighting her face. He ignored her letter until she turned away, then he quickly stuffed it into the fabric of his robe. He dared to read it alone in the boy’s restroom later that day.

_Az,_

_I know you haven’t forgiven me yet but I won’t give up until you do. Watch me get my dear friend back._

_Also, this letter will destroy itself in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 …_

Azriel threw the note from him, panicked that it would explode in his hands, and watched as it sailed soundlessly to the ground. Nothing happened but another line appearing on the letter.

 _I was just kidding_. _Too soon?_

He almost cracked a smile. Almost.

The second note flew out of nowhere during lunch break on the next day. It was folded into the Ravenclaw eagle and still fluttered as it landed on the back of his hand. He had no choice but to take it.

_Az,_

_I thought reading books with you was fun. We should do that again. For real, this time._

_Elain_

The notes kept coming.

_Azriel,_

_did you know the hair on the back of your head stuck out the entire class today? I know this because I sit two rows behind you in History of Magic and spent the time staring at you. I wish you’d allow me to see your face again. I like your face._

_Elain_

_***_

_Az,_

_your Reductor curse during Charms was phenomenal! I don’t think I’ve ever seen Professor Flitwick as excited as today. You’re his favorite, did you notice?_

_My Reductor didn’t turn out as great. I think I’ll just stick to the vinegar to wine spell. I know that one’s Cassian’s favorite._

_I’m very excited for the nonverbal spells we’re going to approach next month. Are you too?_

_Impressed,_

_Elain_

***

_Azriel,_

_there were roasted rosemary potatoes during dinner yesterday at the Great Hall and I remembered those are your favorites, right? I liked them, I hope you did too._

_Elain_

***

_Hey, clever wizard!_

_Congrats on passing your History quiz! Meghan Blake saw the O on your paper and told me you were a nerd. She’s gotten herself an A, so she was being jealous. I told her she should join the Slytherin next time because she’d fit in there perfectly well. Get it? Because Slytherin are awful, ha!_

_Still laughing,_

_Elain_

The next note flew in two minutes later.

_Forget the other note!_

_Oh, Merlin that was so cruel of me to say! My sister and Amren are Slytherin and I love them. Please excuse my stupid comment, I will never be mean again. Ever._

_Regretful,_

_Elain_

_***_

_Azriel,_

_I saw that you were smiling at my note the other day. That’s why I decided I will not stop sending them to you. Please don’t hide your smile next time, will you? I find I dearly miss them._

_El_

_***_

_Oh Az,_

_I keep thinking about that night of Halloween Hunt and I hate that I’ve tricked you. I wish I could take it back. I wish we could just hang out, and I wish everything returned to normal. Well, I would like to spend more time with you than we normally do. Do you think you’re going to forgive me soon?_

_Still hopeful,_

_El_

_***_

_Az,_

_I didn’t lie when I said you looked handsome that night. You look handsome today._

_El_

_***_

_Azriel,_

_I’m scared to approach you. I don’t think I’m ready for you to ignore me after all the notes I’ve sent you. Because if you don’t forgive me, what will become of us? I so dearly want your friendship back. I can’t apologize enough at this point._

_Please talk to me,_

_Elain_

_***_

_Az,_

_you haven’t talked to me today so I guess you’re still mad. I thought about ways I could redeem myself and concluded that I should be making myself vulnerable – well, more vulnerable than I already am with all these letters you received. Maybe you’ll realize I’m serious this time if I tell you some secrets of mine?_

_Secret number 1: I’m scared of Amren. Sometimes. I’m sometimes scared of Amren. Please don’t tell her._

_El_

_***_

_Az,_

_I realized you must be thinking that I lied the entire night of Halloween Hunt to you. Not everything was a lie. If I really think about it, I only lied when I told you I wanted to get away from all the game drama. That was, well, untrue._

_Secret number 2: I do think you are interesting to stare at and very handsome at that. But I already told you this, didn’t I? I also believe the world would be much a better place if it could see your true face. The one with the smile._

_I think I said that before, too._

_Love,_

_El_

***

_Az,_

_I had difficulties with my Arithmancy paper today and realized you were the one I always consulted on school work. Isn’t it marvelous to be the cleverest person another knows?_

_Here comes my secret number 4 and this is a naked truth: I fear I won’t have anyone to ask things when we’re done with school. I still don’t know what to do with myself after it’s over and that scares me. I don’t want to leave Hogwarts yet._

_I’m sure you’ll be someone extraordinarily great. Like the Minister for Magic or the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Whatever you do, you’ll excel at it – of that I’m sure!_

_Love,_

_Elain_

***

_Azriel,_

_it’s been a month now and everyone keeps asking me why we’re not talking. Do they ask you too? I wonder what you answer them. I haven’t told anyone how I got the goblet of fire on that night because I thought you might not like it. Again, I’m truly sorry._

_Secret number 5: I’m growing a little desperate. Will we ever talk again? It would sadden me to the depths of the Black Lake if our friendship ended like this. Please, at least consider forgiving me. I will never disappoint you again._

_Love,_

_Elain_

By the time that last note reached Azriel, he had already forgiven and fell ten times harder for Elain Archeron.

After reading all those notes he realized he’d only ever known her by passing.

The girl who spoke to him through her notes was incredibly faceted and more than he could ever dream of. She was so full of life, such a lively soul. Hopeful, smart, witty, sweet but cheeky and delightful all the same. As vibrant as every color he knew.

He couldn’t help sneaking glances her way when she wasn’t looking, during class when she concentrated on being attentive. Az especially liked to watch her when she interacted with her friends, her laughter bubbling and contagious. There had been a few times when their eyes met – he would blush and quickly avert his gaze. The longing in her expression would mirror the yearning in his heart and stay with him for days.

The only reason why Azriel still hadn’t talked to her was that he didn’t want the letters to stop. He had kept any and all of them and devoured them immediately, as soon as they flew into his outstretched palms. And well, he guessed he was still embarrassed to approach her.

Not because of the night of Halloween but because he wondered how their relationship would feel beyond these notes. Would there be awkward silence? As far as Elain knew, he was still angry with her.

He couldn’t leave her hanging any longer though. He felt her hope slowly dwindling after weeks of his silence. He swore to talk to her soon. This week. Maybe he could convince her to continue flying him her hexed letters. If he ever found the courage to do so.

After all that she’d confessed, it should have been simple for him to ask her this one thing, to admit this one secret of his: He loved her letters and felt that he could see right to her soul through them. The way she wrote about him, she might have known him better than anyone else too.

Az would have to talk to her soon. He dearly missed her voice.

_Az,_

_is it weird that I feel closer to you even though we didn’t talk for more than a month now? I think I’ve gotten better at reading you. When it’s the only thing one can do for a long time, they ought to get better at it, right? At least you’re reading my letters when I can still see your reactions, so thank you for that._

_Secret number 6 is a short list I kept of your reactions thus far. No one knows about it so they count as my secret. Here you go:_

_~ You blush whenever I mention Halloween Hunt. Either you’re still angry or I’ve embarrassed you by bringing it up. Or both._

_~ You frowned when you read my secret number 4. Were you sad that I was afraid of the future? Are you too? Please let me know when we talk again._

_~ You grinned when I accidentally called Nesta and Amren awful because they are Slytherin. How rude!_

_~ You seemed stricken when you read my last letter. Then you looked over at me. This is going to sound so cheesy but – victory!_

_I will let you have a continuation of this if you keep showing your real face to the world._

_Love,_

_Elain_

***

_Az,_

_I think you smiled at me today when our paths crossed on the West Wing. Did you smile at me? I was distracted because in the exact same moment Ianthe teased me about how I had a silly crush on you. I know I said I’d never be mean to Slytherin again, but ugh. Ianthe is just – ugh! I will not sink to her level._

_Mentally smiling back,_

_Elain_

***

_Important:_

_It occurred to me that you may think these letters are completely and utterly ridiculous. Do you think that? Please, give me a sign tomorrow during Muggle Studies if you don’t think these are stupid. I promise I’ll stop sending them if they’re annoying. Let me know._

_Elain_

***

_Az!_

_Did I dream it, or did you grimace in my face during Muggles? Did you try to signal me to keep writing you letters by actually pulling a face?? Your eyes were crossed, and you stuck out your tongue!_

_I am flabbergasted and I can’t stop laughing. Who knew you were such a dork! Please do it again._

_Secret number 7: I like you a lot._

_Love,_

_Elain_

***

_Azriel,_

_I’m sad. It’s almost Christmas and we still haven’t talked. I thought I would be fine with it and I do like our – well, my one sided – correspondence. But I’m missing you. Please, let’s talk again. I know you don’t hate me anymore._

_Secret number 8: If I had known the last time you’d talk to me was during that evening of Halloween Hunt I would have let all gone to hell and spent the night talking and staring at your handsome face. I don’t care about the goblet, or the Hunt. I care about you._

_Love,_

_Elain_

***

_Dear Az,_

_here comes my secret number 9 right off the hook: When I asked you to kiss me that night, I was trying to distract you. It was horrible, I know, and I was surprised you agreed. It didn’t occur to me until then that you might have been feeling like that for me. I guess I always thought you were far too clever, too good and perfect to like someone as simple as me. I’m just a Hufflepuff._

_I’m just a Hufflepuff who wishes she could turn back time and properly kiss you._

_Love,_

_Elain_

Azriel almost fell off his seat when he read those last words and turned around to stare at Elain, only to realize she had vacated her own on the other side of the Great Hall where all the Hufflepuffs sat.

He searched the impressive room for her face, her honey curls that reflected the candlelight hovering above them, but the girl was gone.

Hastily coming to his feet, he clutched the letter to his chest and excused himself from the table, making his way down the Hall out into the huge foyer. As he turned to his left, he could make out golden strands of hair before they disappeared behind a corner. He ran after her as fast as she could, turning the corner blindly and promptly crashing into someone smaller than him.

The girl let out a yelp and they toppled over, landing on the hard-stone ground. He barely managed to keep his weight off her and sucked in a surprised breath when he found himself looking into a set of familiar, caramel eyes that widened in shock upon seeing him.

Az hadn’t looked into her eyes for so long, he remained there hovering above Elain, breathless, as he felt the pull of this intense longing for her in every living cell of his body right into the very tips of his hair.

Merlin’s Beard, he had missed her so damn much.

Her face began to light up, her eyes melting to golden honey as they crinkled at the sides and a huge smile started to show on her features. Az was sure she would burst into a bubble of excitement any moment now but before she slipped from his fingers, much like his courage and determination, he crashed his lips to hers – kissing her with the yearning of several years of pining and the past two months of loving her in the most ardent of ways.

Reacting shocked at first, she quickly caught up to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and sighing into their kiss.

He had never felt as wholesome as in that moment.

She broke the kiss with the bubbling laughter he had already been expecting. “Azriel!”

The way she exclaimed his name, so sweetly excited, it nearly broke his heart in two and he instantly regretted all the weeks he’d made her wait.

He heaved his body up and helped her to her feet. It didn’t last long until she was throwing her arms around his neck again and hugging him, still laughing.

“You don’t hate me anymore!”

He felt like a complete asshole.

“I never hated you,” he murmured into the crook where his face was buried in her hair.

She pulled away to an arm’s length, scrutinizing. When he blushed but kept holding her gaze, she grinned so brightly it hurt to look at her without having his heart aching.

He adored her, thoroughly.

“Oh, I’m so glad we’re talking again! I was beginning to lose hope, you know,” she ducked her head, biting her lip. “I was so horrified you’d continue ignoring me after secret number 9. But I guess we’re even now, aren’t we?”

“I’m sorry it took me so long,” Az began. “I was angry with myself and embarrassed and …I selfishly didn’t want your letters to stop.”

Elain’s eyes softened, and she got onto her tiptoes – drawing a line with her finger from between his furrowed brows to the tip of his nose. Just as she had done that night weeks ago.

“I understand,” she said, and, to his surprise, pecked his nose. She giggled at his surprised expression, leaning against him with her hands on his chest. His fingers wrapped around her hips instinctively, feeling her brimming with energy. “I’ve been wanting to do that for ages. Every time I called you handsome, you scrunched up your nose. It’s so very cute.”

Az screwed up his nose again. “You’ve been thinking about kissing my nose?”

“When I wasn’t thinking about kissing your lips,” she confessed, mischief alight on her features. His face heated and he refocused on her mouth. When she tilted her chin up, indicating she was ready for another kiss, he stood put and didn’t lean down to meet her.

Her eyes fluttered open, confusion swirling there as she stared at his raised brow. “What is it?” she mumbled, falling back on her heels.

“I’m waiting for the proper kiss that I was promised. Here’s your chance,” he smirked down at her, flicking her nose.

She matched his cockiness with her cheeky expression. Elain was as bold as any Gryffindor.

Fisting both ends of his blue-bronze-striped Ravenclaw scarf, she pulled him down to meet her and murmured, “You’re one to tease.”

And she kissed him. Properly, with no room for any doubts in his mind she wanted this at least as much as he did.

When she pulled away, he was breathless and sort of panting, yet Elain still managed to shoot him an enormous grin, taking his hand.

“We have a reading date I still have to make up for. Come on!”

He laced their fingers together and followed her down the hallway, through the corridors of both their home as old and tired eyes of once-witches and wizards followed their steps, painted into frames and smiling at them from another era.

No matter how much time passed, Hogwarts would remain their home for eternity, and they would keep on remembering being two kids who fell in love in a place that would always welcome them back home.

**Author's Note:**

> This one-shot sprang from unexpected inspiration and now holds a very special place in my heart. It felt wonderful to return to the place that will always remain mini-me’s home.  
> I hope you liked this, it was slightly different than the formatting I usually choose. 💜


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